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It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds a New Audience

Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”

In 2008, the band's first record remained not available in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence

Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”

In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”